THE BIG FOUR, sounds like a phrase used to describe something positive, right? Like the Three musketeers, the G7, the Big Five, the Eight Wonders........

Reality check. From this side we confirm that the so called four are pests. Call them Aphids, Mites, Whiteflies and Thrips - major sap feeding pests that extract a huge financial toll on tomato, kale, spinach, cabbage, cucumber, beans, orange, mango, capsicum, flowers, the list is long. Mites are not insects but small versions of spiders, while thrips are small winged insects, though difficult to see their wings with the naked eye. Whitefly are small flying insects that are white, as their name imply. They leave a sticky film on plant leaves. Aphids on the other hand, have excellent camouflage that makes them hard to spot. Bottom line is that behind their distinctiveness they pose great potential for damage – every farmer’s dread. A farmer will not sit around the fire to listen to 'The Big Four' tales.

Whiteflies on the underside of a leaf

To address the farmer's pain points brought on by these four and others, Organix has within its range of botanical remedies, one that is extracted from the neem tree. The solution which is known as Achook has a low pre harvest interval of eight hours which means that one can ‘pluck and serve’ on the same day! Achook controls insects and nematodes by inhibiting their future generations. Aphids, Mites, Whiteflies and Thrips (and other pests) eggs will not hatch, their larvae will not turn into pupae, pupae will not transform to be adult and their adult will lose ability to lay eggs – long term effect.

Achook

in 100ml pack. Applied rate of 1ml per litre water for most crops

To maintain efficacy of Achook for longer periods, the farmer should employ an integrated pest management approach. The idea is to rotate the methods used so two successive generations of pests aren’t exposed to the same product or the same method. Achook is effectively used in conjunction with other safe methods, that way ‘The Big Four’ are less likely to evolve and become ‘The Mighty Four’.